Shawn Marion to sign contract with Cleveland Cavaliers

With King James back in the fold, the rich keep getting richer in Cleveland.

Shawn Marion became the latest player to join the Cleveland Cavaliers, as the free agent small forward committed Sunday to join the championship pursuit that began anew when LeBron James decided to return to his home state last month.

A person with knowledge of his decision confirmed he will join the Cavs but spoke to USA TODAY Sports on the condition of anonymity because an announcement had not yet been made.

Marion was considering the Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Clippers but will instead add his experience and versatility to this Cavaliers team that — talented as it is — was still short on playoff experience..

Yet with the drastic help of James' recruiting, the Cavs went to work fixing that problem in securing free agency commitments from his former Heat teammates Mike Miller and James Jones.

Their best addition since James signed on, forward Kevin Love, had no playoff experience in his six seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves. But he'll be a tremendous co-star when the trade between the Cavs and T'wolves can be executed Aug. 23.

Enter Marion, the 36-year-old who has been in the playoffs in 10 of his 15 seasons and is hoping to finish what he started with Cavaliers general manager David Griffin so many years ago. Marion, who won a championship with the Dallas Mavericks in 2011, was drafted ninth overall out of UNLV by the Phoenix Suns' front office that included Griffin in 1999.

Hardly at the "Matrix" levels of yesteryear, Marion continues to produce at these late stages of his career. He started 76 of 82 games and averaged 10.4 points and 6.5 rebounds a game last season for the Dallas Mavericks, who went 49-33 before a seven-game first-round playoff loss to the eventual champion San Antonio Spurs.

Marion is clearly prioritizing a chance to win another championship over chasing a bigger payday, as the Cavs can only give him a one-year, $1.4 million deal that is the veteran's minimum.

The next question for the Cavs is whether they can add Ray Allen to their mix as well. The free agent guard formerly of the Heat remains undecided on whether he will retire, and it is widely expected if he returns that it will be with the Cavaliers. ESPN.com first reported that Marion had decided to sign with the Cavs.